New Times Magazine
Encyclopedia
New Times was an American glossy bi-weekly national magazine published from 1973 to 1979 by George A. Hirsch. Hirsch had been publisher of New York
magazine, but resigned after conflicts with founder/editor Clay Felker
. New Times began as a bridge between the newsweeklies and the more reflective monthly opinion magazines, notably Harper's and The Atlantic. Initially, the magazine featured a marquee roster of the era's best-known "new journalists," including Jimmy Breslin
, Pete Hamill
, Jack Newfield
, Mike Royko
, and Dick Schaap
.
However, as the magazine's ad revenues lagged, contributions from the big names soon dried up, and under the skilled editorship of Jonathan Z. Larsen, New Times shifted to an investigative approach, offering pieces on the CIA, congressional committees, political spying, activism, the murder of Mary Pinchot Meyer
and the JFK assassination "cover up." Contributors were up-and-coming freelance writers, many just out of college, including currently celebrated authors and media figures such as Geoffrey Wolff
, Frank Rich
, Nina Totenberg
, Roger Rapaport and Ron Rosenbaum
. Robert Sam Anson was Political Editor. The late NBC television executive Brandon Tartikoff
was an occasional contributor.
Typical of the magazine's later direction, one issue featured a cover depicting Bozo the Clown
behind the Presidential podium, a broad comment on the mistakes and misadventures of then-President Gerald Ford
. Another issue saluted the 10 Dumbest Congressmen, judging Iowa's newly elected Republican Senator Charles Grassley as the so-called King of Dumb.
While New Times never found a sufficient base of advertisers, it was not for Hirsch's lack of publishing know-how. He launched The Runner magazine, one of the first of a new era of specialty "active lifestyle" monthlies in 1979, initially as a supplement to New Times. The last issue of New Times, published just before the 1980 election, which would see a dramatic swing to the conservative movement in U.S. politics, was a themed edition devoted to the subject of Greed in America.
New York (magazine)
New York is a weekly magazine principally concerned with the life, culture, politics, and style of New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to The New Yorker, it was brasher and less polite than that magazine, and established itself as a cradle of New...
magazine, but resigned after conflicts with founder/editor Clay Felker
Clay Felker
Clay Schuette Felker was an American magazine editor and journalist who founded New York Magazine in 1968. He was known for bringing large numbers of journalists into the profession...
. New Times began as a bridge between the newsweeklies and the more reflective monthly opinion magazines, notably Harper's and The Atlantic. Initially, the magazine featured a marquee roster of the era's best-known "new journalists," including Jimmy Breslin
Jimmy Breslin
Jimmy Breslin is an American journalist and author. He currently writes a column for the New York Daily News' Sunday edition. He has written numerous novels, and columns of his have appeared regularly in various newspapers in his hometown of New York City...
, Pete Hamill
Pete Hamill
Pete Hamill is an American journalist, novelist, essayist, editor and educator. Widely traveled and having written on a broad range of topics, he is perhaps best known for his career as a New York City journalist, as "the author of columns that sought to capture the particular flavors of New York...
, Jack Newfield
Jack Newfield
Jack Newfield was a muckraking journalist, employed by The Village Voice, the Daily News and the New York Post. He covered the emergence of the New Left and the civil rights movement, and was a close friend of Robert F...
, Mike Royko
Mike Royko
Michael "Mike" Royko was a newspaper columnist in Chicago, who won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for commentary...
, and Dick Schaap
Dick Schaap
Richard Jay Schaap was an American sportswriter, broadcaster, and author.-Early life and education:...
.
However, as the magazine's ad revenues lagged, contributions from the big names soon dried up, and under the skilled editorship of Jonathan Z. Larsen, New Times shifted to an investigative approach, offering pieces on the CIA, congressional committees, political spying, activism, the murder of Mary Pinchot Meyer
Mary Pinchot Meyer
Mary Eno Pinchot Meyer was an American socialite, painter, former wife of Central Intelligence Agency official Cord Meyer and intimate friend of United States president John F. Kennedy, who was often noted for her desirable physique and social skills...
and the JFK assassination "cover up." Contributors were up-and-coming freelance writers, many just out of college, including currently celebrated authors and media figures such as Geoffrey Wolff
Geoffrey Wolff
Geoffrey Wolff is an American novelist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer. Among his honors and recognition are the Award in Literature of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and fellowships of the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Academy in Berlin , and the Guggenheim...
, Frank Rich
Frank Rich
Frank Rich is an American essayist and op-ed columnist who wrote for The New York Times from 1980, when he was appointed its chief theatre critic, until 2011...
, Nina Totenberg
Nina Totenberg
Nina Totenberg is an American legal affairs correspondent for National Public Radio focusing primarily on the activities and politics of the Supreme Court of the United States. Her reports air regularly on NPR's newsmagazines All Things Considered, Morning Edition, and Weekend Edition...
, Roger Rapaport and Ron Rosenbaum
Ron Rosenbaum
-Life and career:Rosenbaum was born into a Jewish family in New York City, New York and grew up in Bay Shore, New York. He graduated from Yale University in 1968 and won a Carnegie Fellowship to attend Yale's graduate program in English Literature, though he dropped out after taking one course...
. Robert Sam Anson was Political Editor. The late NBC television executive Brandon Tartikoff
Brandon Tartikoff
Brandon Tartikoff was a television executive who was credited with turning around NBC's low prime time reputation with such hit series as Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, ALF, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Cheers, Seinfeld, Miami Vice, The Golden Girls, Knight Rider, The A-Team, St...
was an occasional contributor.
Typical of the magazine's later direction, one issue featured a cover depicting Bozo the Clown
Bozo the Clown
Bozo the Clown is a clown character very popular in the United States, peaking in the 1960s as a result of widespread franchising in early television.Originally created by Alan W...
behind the Presidential podium, a broad comment on the mistakes and misadventures of then-President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
. Another issue saluted the 10 Dumbest Congressmen, judging Iowa's newly elected Republican Senator Charles Grassley as the so-called King of Dumb.
While New Times never found a sufficient base of advertisers, it was not for Hirsch's lack of publishing know-how. He launched The Runner magazine, one of the first of a new era of specialty "active lifestyle" monthlies in 1979, initially as a supplement to New Times. The last issue of New Times, published just before the 1980 election, which would see a dramatic swing to the conservative movement in U.S. politics, was a themed edition devoted to the subject of Greed in America.
External links
- Phillip Nobile and Ron Rosenbaum, "The Curious Aftermath of JFK's Best and Brightest Affair," New Times, July 7, 1976, pp. 22-33.